YAHA are a group of diverse, energetic teens ages 14-18 from across Alaska.  YAHA members are interested in health and are enthusiastic about shaping how our state responds to youth issues that we all experience.

• Provide feedback insight and advice to youth serving agencies.
• Review materials created for teens by youth serving organizations.
• Create interventions designed to improve the lives of adolescents in Alaska.

Click below for more info:

http://dhss.alaska.gov/dph/wcfh/Pages/adolescent/yaha.aspx

Atmautluak Lead On 2012 participants Kayla Pavilla and Frankie Pavilla are planning a school lock-in! After successfully applying for and receiving a Stand Up Speak Up mini-grant, they have been busy planning ways to bring the youth in their community together for the lock in. The purpose of this project is to promote healthy relationships, leadership skills, and positive healthy choices among youth from Atmautluak.

By hosting a school lock-in, Atmautluak Lead On youth will help their peers create positive connections with both youth and adults from the community, as well provide positive alternatives for youth. The project focuses on the Keep Respect Going and Sharing help aspects of the Stand Up Speak Up campaign.

Any ideas for how to change your community?? Let us know and we can help!! Contact Claudia Plesa at cplesa@andvsa.org or 907-586-6566.

The Juneau 2012 Lead On participants and Stand Up Speak Up mini-grant recipients are currently planning a youth centered art show, displaying to the community the power of youth voices. The purpose of this project is to help Juneau youth feel connected, seen and heard in their community. By hosting a multimedia art show, this project promotes positive and healthy choices, self-respect, as well as helps create a safe environment for self-expression for Juneau youth. The art show is open to all Juneau youth, and incorporates a diversity of art medium. This project also help encourage connections to adults, as well as to the overall community.

If you want to get involved, or want to know more about the art show, contact Claudia Plesa at cplesa@andvsa.org or call 907-586-6566.

Love is a respect, understanding and clear and honest communication.  The way in which we define love can impact the relationships we have with others as well as we see ourselves.

• how to talk with the media,
• how to communicate with elected officials,
• how to read a bill, and
• how to impact decisions our leaders make about our environment and our lives!

The training ends with youth-led visits to state legislators to discuss environmental concerns and interests.

The 2013 Civics & Conservation Summit will take place Monday through Friday, March 11-15 in Juneau. We will stay at the Juneau International Youth Hostel and will be in the St. Anns’ Parish Hall for our training sessions.

Apply now: AYEA is currently accepting applications for youth delegates, youth trainers, and adult trainers.  Deadline to apply is January 15, 2012. For more information, click below.

http://ayea.org/ccs-2013/

Soroptimist International of Cook Inlet is one of about 1,500 clubs that make up Soroptimist International of the Americas, an international volunteer organization for business and professional women whose mission is to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world.

The Soroptimist International of Cook Inlet awardee receives a $500 award along with an additional $500 award going to her volunteer service organization. Our awardees are also advanced to the Soroptimist Northwestern Region award level, to compete for a $1,000 award, which will be matched with a $1,000 contribution to the recipient’s volunteer organization. Should recognized at that level, Jess will then be considered for the finalist award, which is a $2,500 contribution to the recipient’s volunteer organization.

Click on the link below for more information!

http://www.soroptimist.org/members/program/Program_VioletRichardson.html

Check out a video on last year’s winner.

Click on the following link to download a SUSU mini-grant application:

SUSUapplication2012pdf

Check out past Stand up Speak up award winners:

Teens Lead Ahead 2012:

Teens Acting Against Violence successfully hosted our second annual Teens Lead Ahead Camp! There were over 40 teens in attendance, coming from 4 different villages in the YK delta. Highlights of the camp included guest speaker Gene Tagaban, spending a day and night at fish camp, performance and discussion by the band Pamyua, digital story telling, and a scavenger hunt. The entire weekend was a huge success and wouldn’t have been possible with out the Stand Up Speak Up mini grant!

Teens Lead Ahead Digital Story

REBOUND 2012:

This June, 18 youth participants from Juneau, Hoonah, Gustavus, Tenakee Springs, Sitka, Angoon, Scammon Bay, Dillingham and three exchange students from Egypt, Norway, and Thailand adventured into the West Arm of Glacier Bay. Participants were Tlingit, Haida, Yupik, Inupiat, Samoan, Caucasian, Egyption, Thai, and Norwegian.

During the 10 day adventure through Glacier Bay, Huna ancestral homelands, teens from around Alaska had the opportunity to build strong outdoor leadership skills, develop healthy relationship tools and gain inspiration and resources to promote wellness in their home communities. Two cultural knowledge bearers, two National Park Service Rangers, two SAGA guides, and two Violence Prevention Staff (from AWARE/ SAFV) were tasked in supporting youth on this adventure.

Are you a youth leader on your way to college?   Are you dedicated to helping to create a more equal and peaceful Alaska?  Have you been active in your community and plan on staying involved after entering college?  If so check out the scholarships currently being offered by the American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska.  Apply for the 2013 Joan Hamilton Memorial Scholarship and the 2013 Youth Activist Scholarship, and your activism and dedication to making a difference might help you pay for college.

The ACLU of Alaska Foundation seeks scholarship applicants for the 2013/2014 academic year. The Joan Hamilton Memorial Scholarship awards $2,500 to a post-secondary School Alaska student who wishes to pursue a career law-related career in which s/he will advocate for Alaska Native rights and defend the civil liberties of the peoples of rural Alaska.

The Youth Activist Scholarship awards $2,000 to a high school senior planning on entering an accredited college or university, who has stood up for civil liberties, tolerance, free speech, and equality.

Visit http://www.akclu.org/ for more information on the ACLU and the two scholarships.  Please click here to download the Joan Hamilton Scholarship Application.   Click here to download the Youth Activist Scholarship Application.

The purpose of our softball tournament was to promote respect and non-violence as well as to bring our community together.  Fifty-five people took part of the Stand up Speak up softball tournament, and participated in a discussion on sportsmanship, leadership, team work, as well as non-violence.   Our favorite part of the tournament was seeing the community come together like one big happy family.  It was great to see the community be at the center of this tournament, whether they were part of the teams or as spectators.